Southeastern Adams gets Christmas early

New Oxford High School student Amanda Shaffer watches SAVES volunteer firefighter Chad Grimes hang up the sign she made with EMT and volunteer firefighter Alan Verigan, right, before the Project Santa convoy left the station to spend Saturday morning delivering gifts to families. (THE EVENING SUN SHANE DUNLAP)

Volunteers Terry Sager, right, Jared Hagerman, middle and Justin Hoffman, left, load up a trailer full of Christmas presents early Saturday morning at SAVES. Southeastern Adams Volunteer Emergency Services is in its second year of conducting Project Santa, which distributed food and gifts to more than 15 families in the fire company s service area. (THE EVENING SUN SHANE DUNLAP)

For several Adams County families, Santa arrived to their houses a few days before Christmas Eve in a fire truck, instead of a sleigh pulled by reindeer.

Before the sun rose Saturday morning, about 50 volunteers, wearing Santa hats, were gathered at SAVES fire station in Brushtown to pack up the fire truck with the gifts for Project Santa. Nearly 40 minutes later, the boxes were packed.

The volunteers had the help of some morning fuel inspired by Santa himself - a variety of Christmas cookies, hot chocolate and coffee to jump-start the packing.

SAVES raises money all year for the project through bingo, raffles and donations. This year, the company raised almost $9,000, approximately $4,000 more than last year, project manager Perry Myers said.

With increased donations from the community this year, the fire company was able to buy gifts and food for more than 15 families which includes about 34 children.

Local school districts and churches provided recommendations of the families, Myers said. Along with more donations, the company also saw an increase in recommendations this year as word spread about Project Santa throughout the community.

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On Saturday, families received gift cards, gas cards, toys, clothes and Christmas dinner hand-delivered by Santa and his elves.

Although Santa didn't shimmy down the chimney and eat cookies before sneaking out the door like the stories claim, Santa instead spent about 20 minutes at each home, talking to the children and unloading the gifts. He also brought candy canes for the children, Myers said.

This is the only time many of these children have to spend with Santa, who often makes appearances at the mall and department stores this time of year, Myers said.

The company receives a Christmas list from the children beforehand, so Santa knows what toys and presents to bring. Many families asked for clothes - jeans, sweatshirts and dress boots for girls - this year, Myers said. Others asked for electronics, which the company could afford this year.

Myers said the company will continue Project Santa every year to give back to the community.

Susan Moyer, a volunteer with Southeastern Adams Volunteer Emergency Services, carries boxes of food and gifts to load up on Saturday morning along with her son, Elliott Moyer, left, from Binghampton, New York, who is a veteran of the Iraq war. (THE EVENING SUN SHANE DUNLAP)

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